US1737090A - Conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 26, 1929. s. E. MEYERS CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19 1926 s Sheets$heet I12 van 270 r 8 I 5.5. MEYE/EE.

fl vrn ey Nov. 26, 1929. s, E, MEYERg 1,737,090

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19 1926 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @GGGGQWDQG Nov. 26, 1929. s. E. MEYERS 1,737,090

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Iii a Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED sTA rEs Parr;

51mm! 1:. manna, or BUFFALO,

' GON VEYING APPARATUS NEW YORK, A CHEMICAL 00-, INC., 0] NEW YOBK, N. Y., A

coaroaarxon or You,

Application med January 19, 1a2a. 'sem1 m. 32,334.

An objectpf the invention is the provision of a conveyor mechanism that is not susceptible to in'ury due to the presence of foreign matter. A further object is the dprovision of a conveyor mechanism that is rea ily removed for cleanin when choked or otherwise stopped b solidification of material being transporte or by the presence of foreign matter.- An additional ob ectis the prevention of the entrance of foreign matter at the'exit end of the conveyor. Another object of the invention is the agitation of the container and the conveyance of the material with the minimum expenditure of energy and attention. These and other objects will appear from the follow ing disclosure.

In order that the invention may be adequately disclosed it is hereinafter specifically set forth and illustrated in connection with the feeding of phenylglycin'e to a pot for fusion with sodamide in the manufacture of indoxyl and indigo. It is evident, however, that the apparatus is ap licable not only to the charging of materials ut also to the treat ment or for the discharging of materials. The invention accordingly is not to be restricted to the specific disclosure but is to be given an interpretation commensurate with the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in cross section, of the apparatus as a unit;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the container and drive; and v i Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the conveyor drive.

A container 1 of cylindrical shape has a cover 2 with a charging opening 3 and a hopper shaped bottom 4. A manhole 5 closed y a cover 6 'ves access to the interior of the container. t the apex of the hopper there is formed a tubular transverse passage or con- SSIGNOB 'ro union st- 'veyor casing 7. The hopper bottom rests on a pillar 8and the container is held in vertical position passage. j A shaft 11 is mounted axially o the container which shaft rotates in a bearing 12, formed in the cover and closed by a stuffing box 13, and a bearing 14 held in; place within the container by straps 15. The

are supported on a superstructure 17 carried by the cover 2. An agitator is fixed to the shaft which agitator is madein two sections 19, 20 on account ofthe bearing 14. Each section is made up of a plurality of members preferably made of bar metal and shaped to y stays not shown. An opening!) in the hopper portion closed by a cap 10 've's Y iacgesls to the lower part of the hopper an the 11 u ar conform to the wall of the container 1. The

upper diagonal strut members 21 are attached to collars 22 and 25 on the shaft 11. The low-' to collars 27, 28 I er members 20 are secured on the shaft 11. The members are preferably made with a narrow edge of the bar resented in the direction of movement; by t 's means a shearing action is secured, to prevent adherence of material to the walls, with a minimum expenditure of mm The mechanism for drivlng the shaft consists of a bevel gear 30 secured to the shaft and driven from a pinion 31 on a cross shaft 32. The latter loosely journals a gear 33 to which it can be coupled by a clutch 34 operated by a hand lever 35. A pinion 36 drives the gear 33 and is on a shaft 37 which is driven from a motor 38 through a reduction gearing 39, 40. On the shaft 37 is a bevel pinion 41 driving a bevel gear 42 secured to a downwardly extending shaft 43, and lower end of the shaft 43 has a coupling member 44.

To one end of the conveyor casing is removably secured an extension of a housing 51; and on the other end of the casing is a removably mounted bonnet 52. The housing 51 is secured to a fusion pot or other vessel 53 into which material is to be fed.

A conveyor 54 fits within .the casing 7 and extension 50, and its shaft 55 extends within and is splined to a hollow or quill shaft 56. The quill shaft is journaled in bearings 57 and 58 formed in the bonnet 52, and a stufiing shaft and a driving mechanism 16 therefor box 59 prevents any leaka e. On the end of the quill shaft 56 exten ing externally of the bonnet is secured a collar 60 with an extending flange 61, and slidably supported on the collar is a sleeve 62 with its flange 63. The opposing faces of the flanges are channeled to center and frictionally engage a bevel ring gear 64, and springs 65 supported on bolts 66 force the flanges together. The spring pressures are ad usted by movable nuts 67 and the friction enga ement between the flanges and the gear can e enhanced by the attachment of brake lining or leather facings to the flanges. A bracket 68 carried by the bonnet supports a shaft 69 carrying a pinion 70 that engages the bevel ring 64, and the upper end of the shaft 69 has a coupling member 71 for attachment to the member 44 on the shaft 43. The conveyor shaft is held from longitudinal movement within the quill shaft b the nut 72.

Within the housing 51 is a valve pivotally mounted on an arm 81 which in turn is pivoted on a shaft 82 extending through the housing. The valve 80 can be operatedby a hand lever (not shown) externally of the housing and the valve is mounted to seat on the end of the conveyor passage opening into the housing. A pipe 83 extends from the housing to the upper part of the container to equalize pressures in the container and a cut off valve 84 can be included in the pipe line if desired.

For convenience in lubricating the bearings for the drive mechanismcarried by the cover, depending pipes 85 are connected to each bearing only one being shown on the drawing) to w ich pipes a grease gun can be attached and lubricant forced into the bearing. A ladder 86 leads to the superstructure.

In operation, the container is supplied with a desired amount of phenylglycine and, when conditions are suitable for charging the fusion pot, the motor is started and the agitator and conveyor are rotated. The agi tator prevents adhesion of the phenylglycine to the container walls and causes the material to flow into the hopper and tubular passage, while the rotating screw conveyor forces the phenylglvcine into the fusion pot. The valve 80 is preferably turned out of the way within the housing 51 or it can be allowed to hang downward and be moved by contact of the material. When a charge has been fed into the fusion pot, the motor is stopped, and the valve 80 seats on the end of the conveyor passage to prevent the entrance of material from the pot as in the case of foaming or the like.

If foreign material should be present in the container, such as a piece of broken iron, or the material should solidify in the conveyor, the slip gear arrangement, consisting of the bevel gear 64 and supporting flanges 61, 63, prevents injury to the conveyor. If

in such a case it becomes necessar to remove the conveyor, this can be readi y done by separating the coupling members 44 and 71 and disconnecting the bonnet 52. The conveyor can then be withdrawn and cleaned without disturbing the gear connections or the bearings. If it is found desirable to disconnect the conveyor element, it can be withdrawn from the quill shaft after the removal of the nut 72 without affecting the assemblage of the other parts. By this arrangement it becomes a simple matter to remove or replace the conveyor.

When the container and conveyor are to be completely discharged the agitator is operated until the hopper is empty; the agitator is then disconnected by releasing the clutch 34, and the conveyor alone is rotated in order to clear it of any material.

The above described apparatus is capable of feeding materials under conditions of superatmospheric pressure or vacuum, as well as atmospheric pressure. The rate of feed, can be continuous or varied to accord with the intensity of the reaction taking place in the pot or other vessel. While the conveyor is shown horizontal it may be given any desired inclination either upward or downward from the container. Fluids, either gases or liquids, can also be introduced into the conveyor casing when such an addition is desirable.

I claim:

1. Conveying apparatus comprising in combination a casing, a screw conveyor within said casing, a bonnet detachably connected to said casing, a hollow shaft journaled in said bonnet, means for rotating said hollow shaft, and a shaft extending from said conveyor through said hollow shaft and having engagement with said hollow shaft.

2. In an apparatus, the combination of a container, an agitator within said container and driving means therefor, a screw conveyor having a shaft rotatably mounted in a casing associated with said container, a housing at the discharging end of said casing and a valve mounted within said housing adapted for closing said discharging end of said casing, a bonnet detachably connected to the other end of said casing, a hollow shaft journaled in said bonnet and removable therewith, said shaft engaging said conveyor shaft, and a slip connection between said hollow shaft and said driving means.

3. In an apparatus for feeding subdivided solids into a vessel under non-atmospheric pressure, the combination of a container, a conveyor rotatably mounted in a casing associated with said container, a receiving vessel at the discharging end of said casing, and a pipe connection between said receiving vessel and said container and adapted to equalize and balance the pressures within said receiving vessel, container, and conveyor whereby materials can be conveyed under other pressures than atmospheric.

4. Conveying apparatus comprising in combination a casing, a screw conveyor within said casing, a bonnet detachably connected to said casing, a hollow shaft journaled in said bonnet and removable therewith, means for rotating said hollow shaft, and a shaft extending from said conveyor through said hollow shaft and having engagement with said hollow shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SIDNEY E. MEYERS.

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